The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-06-30
AFRENcH CHESTNUT.
Curious Story Of a Tree In the Garden OF
the Tuileries.

Cur1Ou3 SlOEy OF 1r0o In tno 0nrucu %
the Tuileries.
There is curious story about chest
nut tree in the garden of the Tuileries,
which a Paris paper has just recalled. 1t
is known as the Chestnut of the 20th of
March," and the popularity about it is
that it always puts out its foliage before
any other tree in the garden. This
year, however, it has violated all its
traditions; its leaves did not appear un-
til after many of its neighbors had be-
gun to show their foliage, and it is this
fact which recalls the following story:
One day when Louis XVIII was talk
ing with one of his courtiers, Count
Limoleon, about the weather, the latter
imprudently alluded to the famous
chestnut tree. .'What is the chestnut
tree of the 2Oth of March?'' inquired
the King. 81 hear some one speak Of
it every year." The Count saw that
he had made bad mistake, but tried
to repair it. ''Sire," he replied, "every
one avoids speaking to your Majesty Of
this chestnut tree, because it is
souvenir of one of the most unhappy
episodes of your reign "What is
that?' asked the King. ''The goth of
March is the date On which the usurper
Bonaparte, after his escape from the
Isle of Elba, arrived in Paris and took
up his residence in the palace of the
Tuileries. swell I know that" re-
piled the King; "but what has it to do
with the chestnut treep' 1.-The followers
of Bonaparte observed that on that day
there was one tree in the garden which
was covered with leaves. while the
others had none at all, and the mob
from Paris came to see the tree which
it was said put forth its leaves in honor
OF the usurper." "Well," said the
King, ''this merely proves that trees
are like men in some respects; they do
not all have the same opinions. And
did you say that since my second
restoration this particular tree had con-
tinued to have leaves on the Goth of
March?'' "Yes, sire, it is true" The
reply seemed to annoy the King, and.
although he said nothing about it, the
courtiers decided it would be best to
cut down the Bonapartist tree and
substitute one that was more proper
and loyal in its habits. But what hap
pensp The year passed, and as the
King did not say any thing more about
the tree it was believed by the courtiers
that he had forgotten all about it. They
were very much astonished, therefore.
when on the 20th of March, 1924. the
King, who never went to the garden of
the Tuileries, expressed wish to see
the famous chestnut tree. Their amaze
ment was extreme, however, when they
arrived at the garden and found the
tree in full bloom, with even more
leaves and flowers than before. Their
modification may be imagined. The
King, however, reassured them by re-
marking, after he had taken a good
look at the tree, well, let it remain
and represent the Bonapartist opinions
if it will. So long as this is the only
thing which conspires against us the
Bourbons have little to fear" The tree
is still in thesgarden of the Tuileries,
but it is not the one which bloomed on
the 2Oth of March, 1915, when the
Emperor returned to Paris.-C CHICAGO
| Tribune.